Boron impurities are what cause the diamond to turn blue. Natural fancy blue diamonds get their color from boron being present while they are formed, too.
Blue diamonds are considered extremely rare and quite valuable. They are among the rarest colors in the color diamond family. Since blue diamonds are so unique, there are many questions that are frequently asked regarding their rarity, authenticity, color origin, and value.
Inclusions are remnants of the minerals from the rock in which the diamond crystallized and can tell scientists about the conditions under which it formed. Type IIb diamonds owe their blue color to the element boron, which is mostly found on the Earth's surface.
What is diamond fluorescence? Fluorescence is the glow you sometimes see when an object emits visible light. Some diamonds fluoresce when they are exposed to long-wave ultraviolet (UV) rays from sources like the sun. This can cause them to emit a bluish light or more rarely, a yellow or orangy light.
An intriguing phenomenon of some diamonds is that they appear to glow blue under ultraviolet light. This glow is called fluorescence, and lasts only as long as the diamond is exposed to the ultraviolet light. Fluorescence is caused by the presence of nitrogen as a trace element in your diamond.
Blue diamond stones are genuine diamonds that are not treated or enhanced in any way. They exhibit all of the same inherent properties of the precious stone but have the added element of a blue hue. These blue gems belong to a subcategory of diamonds. This subcategory is known as “fancy colour diamonds”.
Red diamonds are the rarest of the colored diamonds, with only 20-30 existing in the entire world. They get their beautiful red color from a rare process during their formation, which changes the crystal structure of the diamond and causes light to pass through it differently than colorless diamonds.
Kadakia said that less than 2 percent of diamonds discovered in the world are blue (the color comes from the presence of boron in the diamond). Only 10 percent of all blue diamonds discovered are larger than a carat — so the Oppenheimer Blue is a highly prized freak of nature.
Both diamonds with a blue nuance and fancy blue diamonds are classified as type IIb diamonds. These extremely rare diamonds are semiconductive, meaning they can conduct electricity, and contain boron impurities.
Due to their scarcity, Blue Diamonds are extremely expensive. Their price depends on the color, intensity, cut, clarity, and weight – the scheme is the same as for all other diamonds. However, the color and its characteristics are the key factors.
A sparkle test is quick and easy to do since all you need are your eyes. Simply hold your diamond under a normal lamp and observe the bright shimmers of light bouncing off the diamond. A real diamond provides an exceptional sparkle since it reflects white light extremely well.
Brown diamonds are generally the least expensive of natural fancy colors. As with colored stones in general, color is paramount for fancy colored diamond pricing. Other quality factors like clarity and cut do not affect prices as much as with colorless diamonds.
The best diamond color grade is D color. This means the diamond is completely clear with no shade of yellow (or anything else) in it. The best color for a diamond that you will put in your engagement ring is not D. You can put a G, H or I color diamond in a ring and it will look the same while costing a lot less.
Only one out of 10,000 carats of fashioned diamonds displays fancy color, and a diamond's chances of displaying intense color are even less – one in 25,000. Browns and yellows are the most common fancy colors. Red, green, purple and orange are the rarest.
Visit A Trusted Jeweler
Many jewelers will appraise your stone free of charge and experts will often be able to tell immediately if your diamond is authentic or not. If your stone came with a certificate, your jeweler should be happy to take a look at it and tell you whether it is from a trustworthy source.
Fake diamonds do not reflect spectral rays from the beam of the flashlight. This is because a diamond's refractive index is high; it makes the white light entering the diamond split into multiple colors before it exits on the other side of the stone.
Fire. Perhaps the most important aspects to discuss in differentiating blue diamonds from sapphires are fire and brilliance. As diamonds refract more light than sapphires, they boast a more dazzling appearance - that sparkle that instantly attracts and mesmerizes the viewer.
Tiffany only accepts engagement diamonds in the “colorless” and “near colorless” range on a diamond color scale. In other words, for engagement rings, Tiffany only accepts D color diamonds, E color diamonds, F color diamonds, G color diamonds, H color diamonds and I color diamonds.
Most brilliant diamond alternative
If you want a diamond alternative but don't want to lose out on sparkle, moissanite will be your best bet. Moissanite has a refractive index from 2.65 – 2.69, which is higher than a diamond. These stones exhibit a fiery, rainbow brilliance, making for superior sparkle.
If you're buying a diamond under 1 carat, you might consider choosing an I, J, or K color diamond. Going over 1 carat? We recommend H color-grade diamonds or higher. This is because the larger a diamond is, the more likely it is to show any color.
Because diamonds reflect white light, colorless diamonds produce the best sparkle and fire. In fact, the more color a diamond has, the less likely it is to reflect white light. And as a result, will produce less sparkle. A D-color diamond is the highest quality, and will offer the greatest sparkle.
On average, diamond buyers can expect to pay anywhere from $5500 to $60000 AUD for a 2-carat diamond. This will vary greatly when taking into consideration the multiple factors discussed above.
Genuine diamonds do not sparkle in rainbow colors inside of the stone. Instead, the inside of real diamonds sparkles in tones white and gray. The play on light in the diamond is brilliance. One factor that determines a diamond's level of brilliance is the cut.
Using a flashlight is a good way to start on how to tell if diamonds are real. Testing diamonds in this way will give a good indication of whether to proceed with further tests. Hold the diamond in the light from the flashlight, and observe how the light reacts with the stone.